The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an idler assembly, and more particularly, an idler assembly for a part processing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention includes a system and apparatus of an idler assembly for a belt-and-pulley system used to rotate or otherwise move retained parts in an automatic apparatus for processing parts. The part processing apparatus is similar to the device as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,897, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
During a shot peening or media blasting operation, for example, peening media is shot, sprayed, or otherwise projected toward a part being processed. A peening process is used to provide various advantages to a part, such as, but not limited to, increasing the fatigue strength. For example, gears, such as those utilized in automobile transmissions, are peened to increase their surface durability and ensure that they are suitable for performing their intended functions. The force and direction of the peening material is configured to engage with the surface of the part being processed to controllably alter the surface of the part. The peening media may be of various types of material or various sizes, depending on the intended resulting character or characteristics, such as, but not limited to, physical features, such as texture, look or physical performance, of the part surface. During a peening operation, a work piece or part is placed in a closed chamber and the blasting is actuated, whereby the media is mixed with air and a stream of the air and media mixture is directed against the surface of the work piece or part.
A processing apparatus as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,897 uses a shaft-and-spindle assembly to hold up parts or work pieces in the apparatus as processing occurs to the parts. The shaft-and-spindle assembly is configured to provide for rotational movement of the parts within the processing apparatus in order to permit effective processing (e.g. peening) of the entire circumference of the part. Specifically, the processing apparatus may be configured with one or more belt-and-pulley systems, for example, that are used to drive rotational movement of the shaft and spindle assembly holding a part being processed.
The belt-and-pulley system of a part processing apparatus may include one or more idler assemblies that are configured to direct movement of a drive belt of the belt-and-pulley system and/or permit adjustments to the belt-and-pulley system. For instance, the belt may be adjusted for directional change, length adjustment, tension adjustment, vibration dampening, and/or belt replacement. In a part processing apparatus, an idler assembly is preferably configured not to include a shaft to hold a part being processed. Instead, an idler assembly may be configured to continually rotate even when a shaft-and-spindle assembly holding a part is not rotated. Thus, the idler assembly permits the belt-and-pulley system to continue to run even when a part is not being processed in the processing apparatus, thereby reducing the time, energy, and resources needed to start and stop the processing apparatus. The idler assembly also helps regulate how the belt runs, for example from a crankshaft, in order to generate movement in other components, such as the shaft and spindle assembly.
As processing occurs to a part in a processing apparatus, peening media or material may be sprayed or blasted throughout the processing apparatus. Such spraying may result in the accumulation of peening material around or near the belt-and-pulley system, or more specifically, the idler assembly. As peening material accumulates, the peening material may unintentionally interfere with the rotational operation of the belt-and-pulley system, and more specifically, the idler assembly. For example, such peening material may get lodged or stuck near the rotation point of the idler assembly, for example between a shaft of the idler assembly and a bearing assembly of a pulley head of the idler assembly when the pulley head is configured to rotate above the shaft of the idler assembly with movement of a belt guided by the pulley head. Such lodged peening media may therefore clog the idler assembly, interfering with the continuous repetitive rotation of the idler assembly. Because of this issue, prior-art systems employ various techniques to determine whether rotation of an idler assembly or a belt-and-pulley system unintentionally ceases. Such monitoring includes expensive or intricate sensors or monitoring devices that monitor rotation of the idler assembly or belt-and-pulley system. Once an interruption of rotation is detected, the belt-and-pulley system is removed in order to clear and clean the peening media from the idler assembly. Such removal requires the peening machine to be taken off line, resulting in substantial down time and resources to resolve a jammed or clogged idler assembly. The present invention is an improvement on the prior art with these potential issues.
Moreover, processing of multiple parts within the processing apparatus may be limited by the number of shaft-and-spindle assemblies that are located along the belt-and-pulley system. The present invention is directed to idler assemblies provided in various relationships to the spindle assemblies to optimize or maximize the number of spindle assemblies that can simultaneously be rotated with a single drive belt.
This background information provides some information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present disclosure. No admission is intended, nor should such admission be inferred or construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present disclosure. Other aims, objects, advantages and features of the disclosure will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present disclosure provides for a vane sweep positioned below and adjacent to the pulley of the idler assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the vane sweep is configured to rotate with the rotation of the idler assembly and is fixedly connected to a bottom guide of the pulley head. The vane sweep includes one or more fins or sweep arms that are configured to sweep away peening media from the shaft and pulley of the idler assembly. A top ledge of the vane sweep is fixedly connected to the bottom guide of the pulley head to prevent introduction of peening material into a rotational aperture in the center of the pulley through which the shaft extends and the pulley rotates about. The combination of the sweep fins and top ledge effectively prevent any peening media from entering or clogging the rotational aperture of the pulley.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.